Getting ready for Wyoming antelope - the Remington M700 is a no go...

[Coyote Hunter]

Getting ready for Wyoming antelope season.Had planned to hunt one weekend but because my son-in-law and Daughter #2 have a wedding that weekend, I’ll get to hunt two weekends.  Yee-Haw!

The first weekend I’ll be joined by two nephews who have never hunted any big game.  One has hunted birds and I doubt the other has ever hunted anything – although he spent part of one summer at the NRA Whittington Center at a shooting camp.

The last few trips to the range I’ve been working up 150g Ballistic Tip and AccuBond loads for my three .30-06’s.  When the nephews arrive we will have one evening to hit the range before we head north to Bill, Wyoming, and points east in Area 29.  I’ll let them practice with the Ballistic Tips, then switch to the AccuBonds for final shots and the actual hunt.

Yesterday was the first chance I had to check the zero with the AccuBonds. The two Rugers (a M77 and a stainless MKII I recently married to a skeletonized “boat paddle” stock) both shot great, about .5" and maybe a bit better, with the same point of impact as the Ballistic Tips.  A couple clicks on the vertical and they were just where I wanted them.  (They had been a bit off with the BTs, too.)  The Remington M700 was another matter altogether.  It has never been better than about a 1-1/4” shooter and yesterday was no exception.  I’ve come to the conclusion that the M700 is going to need a bedding job to get anything more in the accuracy department.

My Interarms Mark X custom 6.5-06AI was a one-shot affair, both last week and yesterday.  Both shots printed right where I wanted them, 2.5” high and dead center horizontally.  

When I got back home I loaded up some more 130g Scirocco II’s for the 6.5-06AI and some more BT’s and AB’s for the .30-06s.  My nephews can use whatever they want but I’m going to try to steer them toward the Ruger .30-06s while I use the 6.5-06AI.  The Roberts with 100g TTSX and the 7mm RM with 140g North Fork would both be fine alternatives and who knows what the youngsters (both college grads) will choose.

One thing for sure, the Remington M700 will be staying home.  Yeah, it’s “accurate enough” but disappointing nevertheless.  FWIW, the Remington is an M700 “Special purpose Wood” model with checkered walnut stock and floorplate, blued.  The stock is pretty plain compared to my .308 Win BDL - no forearm tip, no grip cap, etc.  The manufacture date was August, 2005, and I picked it up new in late March, 2008.  Regardless of the ammo I try, factory or handloads, this rifle just refuses to do better.  If bedding doesn’t help it, the action will become a donor.

[nomosendero]

On the Rem, it happens.

Good luck on the hunts & esp. good hunting to your nephews, maybe they will be hooked.

[Happy]

"G" a rem 700 and in 06
Where is Swampy.
He says there is no such thing as a Rem shootin' under MOA .He might want to buy this one.

[BBF]

I'm not sure if Remington is on the Stock Market if it is, Swampy must have his "Stash" there

[Coyote Hunter]

On the Rem, it happens.

Good luck on the hunts & esp. good hunting to your nephews, maybe they will be hooked.

Thanks - I hope they get hooked hard as I want them for future elk seasons, too.

[Coyote Hunter]

Oops, hit the wrong button...

[usherj]

I had a 700 in 308 that performed about the same and pillar bedding it didn't improve the groups. I ended up trading it but later read an article which came to the conclusion that the best improvement among many things attempted (bedding, trigger tuning) was gained by firelapping with the Tubbs final finish kits. The study looked fairly well done with good documentation, but it could have been a blatant plug for that product, who knows.

[Siskiyou]

“Regardless of the ammo I try, factory or handloads, this rifle just refuses to do better.  If bedding doesn’t help it, the action will become a donor.”

I have a Remington 700 ADL that I cut the stock down on about thirty years ago.  Accuracy has not been a problem, but it has been a second string rifle.  A few years ago I was at the Big Shot Show in Reno, NV and there was a table with a bunch of take-off stocks and barrels.  A custom builder bought Remington 700 rifles stripped the barrels and stock to be disposed of.  In a Mountain Rifle box there was a stock that fit my needs; it had a good recoil pad, and a blind magazine.  I liked the wood and paid $45 for the stock.





I glass bedded the action to start with and the rifle likes all the bullet weights I have tried.  Recently I fired the following bullets at the range and you would have thought the Remington 150-grain C-L was a match bullet, followed closely by the Hornady 150SP, and the Nosler Solid Base. 

I have successfully taken deer using handloaded Hornady 150 SP and the Winchester factory 150-grain Power Points.

When I was testing 140-Silvertips in the Savage 110CL I followed up firing them in the Remington 700.  I was pleased they were accurate in the 700; the only downside was the load was 30 fps slower in the 700.

I recently replaced a large 44MM lens scope with a Bushnell Elite 3200 3x9-40 scope.  The earlier scope required high rings, and the Elite allowed the use of medium rings.  The lower mounting improved the mounting of the rifle to my shoulder.

I think you might be on the right track regarding bedding.  My Dad gave me his old short action Remington 722 many years ago.  At the range it was okay but could have been better.  A bedding job proved beneficial.

My wildcat brother is always using donor Remington 700 actions for different projects. 

Similar to you I had to cut a rifle from the list this year.  I replace a Remington 788 with the Remington 700.

[1911crazy]

My remington 700 in 338win mag brand new right out of the box, i scoped it and found out right away it didn't group tight with remington 338win mag ammo.  I switched to winchester super x 338win mag ammo and on my last scope adjustment i put two bullets thru the same hole taking the "X" out of the target at 100yds, benchrested.  This is right out of the box with over the counter ammo.  I put up four new targets and loaded up four rounds in my 700 and i stood up and hand held off the shoulder, I fired off four rounds as quick as i could pick up each bullseye and run the bolt. I came within 1" from each bullseye in rapid fire, at 100yds. thats not too shabby.  I don't fire this 700 in 338wm that much mainly because its so accurate.  I just fire one or two rounds to check the zero on the scope before going hunting.  Maybe I got lucky with this one or is thats how the 700's are??  I purchased the dies for reloading but the accuracy with the winchester super x ammo why reload?   With this being the most expensive rifle i have ever purchased i'm glad i go a good one.  Its a good thing that i stocked up on winchester super x 338wm ammo before the prices went crazy.                                                                                                              Bill                                                                                                      

[Coyote Hunter]

Nice looking rifle and stock!

Headed out now for another weekend antelope hunt - back Monday.

[Range Rider]

Coyote Hunter, filled my tag in Area 95 this week.  This is a big public lands area which is close to my place. We saw a number of decent bucks.  I took a 15" incher that looked good thru the glass.  The shot was at 245 Yds. shooting a Pre. 64 Mdl. 70 rebarrled to a 6MM Remington.  This is an easy shot of course. I want to make sure they are going down dead so I stay under 300 yds. I don't treat big game hunting as varmint shooting.  Well any way, turns out the "Prairie Goat" had one tip broken from the right horn.  The good news was we had a warm front ahead of a snow storm.  The last day was out standing, the nest day and today its snowing here in SW Wyoming.  Good L